Traffic signal



Feb. 27, 1934. J.' N, RQGERS 1,948,633

TRAFFI C S IGNAL Filed Oct, 26, 1952 3 Sheets-Sheer?l l tllllllll l l JANE S HIWIDN IQDEIQS nvenior A torney J. N. ROGERS TRAFFIC SIGNAL Feb. 27, 1934.

Filed Oct. 26, 1932 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 JAMES HIWDH IQOID Inventor By WM U Attorney Patented Feb. 27, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT oFFlcE Claims.

My present invention relates to improvements in traflic signals of the electrically operated type, designed for use at intersections of streets, highways, and other traveled crossings, one of the 6 signals being located at each of the four corners of an intersection, to control traffic moving in cross currents.

Each signal involves the use of two color fields, green for go and red for stop signs, and these l0 elds are alternately illuminated, and controlled by the use of a circuit maker and breaker for the lamp circuit. Means are provided whereby the relative sizes of the two colored elds or signals may be varied, and jointly therewith, the circuit maker and breaker o1' time controlling device, is automatically regulated and adapted for use with the various sizes of signal elds. The interior of the lamp casing, in which two lamps are enclosed, is divided into two lamp compartments, by the utilization of a sectional partition, and the sections of the partitions are movable in the adjustment or Variation in the sizes of the red and green signals.

While I have indicated in the drawings one of four signal devices for use at the four corners of an intersection, it will be understood that a single device may be used at the center of an intersection and provided with four pairs of green and red signals. In the accompanying drawings I have illustrated one complete example of the physical embodiment of my invention, wherein the parts are combined and arranged according to one mode I have so far devised for the practical application of the principles of my invention, but it will be understood that changes and alterations may be made in the exemplied structure Within the scope of my claims without departing from the principles of the invention.

Figure l is a view in elevation of a signal device, one of which is adapted for use at each of the four corners of an intersection.

Figure 2 is an enlarged, vertical sectional view of the signal.

Figure 3 is a rear view in elevation. partly broken away for convenience of illustration, taken at line 3-3 of Figure 2, showing the red and green segments, and the relatively adjustable sectors having colors, together with the revolv-v ing indicatorwhich forms the brush holder for the circuit maker and breaker.

Figure 4 is a perspective view showing one of the colored sectors and the section of a partition mounted thereon forming a partition between the two lamp compartments.

Figure 5 is 'a detail sectional view showing the pivotal arrangement of the two colored sectors of the Signals.

Figure 6 is a view slightly in perspective showing oneof the colored sectors with its contactrim and "break betweenV the rim sections.

Figures?, 8, and 9 are diagrammatic views illustrating changes that may be made in the variation of the sizes of the green and red fields of the signals.

Figure 10 is a diagrammatic illustration of the a; wiring'for the two lamps and the time controlling device or circuit maker and breaker.

Figure 1l is a diagrammatic view illustrating the visible portions of the sectors with equal fields.

In Figure 1 I have shown the general assembly 1'@ of the parts of the signal device as employed at a corner of an intersection, and the post or standard l supports a housing 2 having a side door 3 by means of which access may be had to the interior of the housing in which the working parts w of the signal device are arranged.

One face of the housing is provided with a transparent lens 4, circular in shape and provided with a bezel ring 5 which is hinged at 6 to the housing, and a fastening device 7 of suitable 80 character is employed at the bottom of the ring for securing the hinged lens within an opening provided therefor in the front wall of the housing.

At the inner side of the front wall of the housing a flanged, circular holder 8 is secured about the opening, and this holder is provided withl a back ring 9 to which the lamp casing l0 is attached. The lamp casing is of hemispherical shape and its inner face is adapted for use as a reflector for use with -the two electric lamps 11 and 12. These lamps Aare mounted in sockets 13, one socket and lamp being located in the wall of the upper or green section of the signal and the other lamp and socket being located in the lower or red section of the signal, and it will be understood of course that the illuminated green signal means go while the illuminated red signal means stop".

The illumination of the lamps is controlled by a circuit maker and breaker or time controlling device, and this device includes .rotary parts comprising a horizontal shaft 14 and its drive wheel l5. The shaft extends transversely through the lamp casing `and is journaled in a bearing l'6 at its front end the bearing 16 being inserted or mounted in the center of the lens 4, and at lts rear end, exterior of the lamp casing, the shaft is journaled in a bearing 17 on the bracket or supporting plate 2a. The drive wheel 15 is located exterior of the lamp casing, withni the housing of the signal device and this Wheel is vrotated continuously, by a suitable drive mechanism and motor, in one direction.

A non-rotatable sleeve 18 encloses the shaft within the lamp casing and extends through a central opening in the back of the casing, and this sleeve is supported in a flanged collar 19 attached at the exterior of the back wall of the lamp casing.

The green and red signals form a stationary, circular disk, clearly visible through the transparent lens, the green signal being an upper segment 20 and the red signal being a lower segment 21, and between these two segments of the disk, two segmental slots 22 and 23 are provided in the circular disk, for a purpose to be described. The upper segment is provided with a metallic conductor 24 and the lower segment is provided with a similar metallic conductor 25 which are U-shaped in cross section and tted tightly on the peripheries of the two segments, to form stationary contact members or conductors of the circuit maker and breakers for the two lamps 11 and 12.

For use at the two slotted portions 22 and 23 of the circular disk I provide colored sectors 26 and 27, located at the rear of the circular disk on an approximately horizontal axis, and the upper halves of these sectors are green while the lower halves of the two sectors are red, complementary to the upper green segment and the lower red segment of the disk.

These sectors also are provided with rim-conductors as 28, 28a, and 29, 29a with a break` or insulated portion 30 between them, and the metallic rim conductors of the sectors are located adjacent to the complementary peripheral conductors of the circular disk, or of the segments of the disk.

'I'he two sectors at their inner ends are provided with overlapping perforated heads 31, 31 that are loosely tted on the sleeve 18, as best seen in Figure 5, and at their outer ends the sectors are provided with handles F for use in adjusting the sectors to desired positions to regulate the period of illumination of the signals. The sectors are independently movable on the sleeve 18 as a pivotal center, and they may be turned or adjusted, as indicated in Figures 7, 8, and 9 to increase the size of the green signal field, and decrease the size of the red signal leld, or vice versa, depending on the size or area of the signal desired, and upon the time or period of illumination oi' the signals. In the position of Figure 3, and when viewed from the front (reverse side of Figure 3) the entire upper half of the signal is green and the entire lower half is red, that is, the signals are equal in size, and they are thus seen in Figure 8. In Figure 7 the red area is greater than the green area and the lamp 12 will be illuminated for a longer period of time than the lamp 11. In Figure 9, the green signal is larger in area than the red signal and the lamp 11 will be illuminated for a longer period than the lamp 12.

On the back of each sector is a quadrantshaped, opaque wing or partition, as W and W', each of which, as indicated in Figure 3, is coincident with the dividing line between the green and red colors of the sectors, and, as these wings are movable with the sectors, it will be apparent that they form a sectional, exible, partition dividing the lamp casing into an upper and a lower lamp compartment. These quadrant shaped wings are each provided with hinge sleeves S that pivot on the shaft-sleeve 18, back' o! the pivot heads or plates 31 of the sectors, and it willgbe apparent that the wings are iiexed on the pivot, similar to a hinge to increase the size of one lamp compartment and at the same time to decrease the size of the other compartment. Regardless of the position of the sectional partition, it is instrumental in shutting out the rays of light from one lamp from the compartment in which the other lamp is located.

The movable or revolving member of the circuit maker is comprised of a rotary arm 32 fixed on the revolving shaft 14, back of the transparent lens and visible therethrough and in iront of the red-green signals, and two brushes or contact makers 33 and 34 on the end of this arm.

The revolving arm, traveling around the disk, is visible through the lens 4, and as it revolves it performs the functions of an indicator to tell to the beholder the approaching changes in the signals.

The outer end of the arm 32 has an overhanging end that projects backwardly over the periphery of the disk and sectors, and the two brushes 33 and 34 project radially a suflicient distance for the brush 34 to frictionally and electrically engage the circular conductors of the disk, and for the brush 33 to similarly engage the curved conductors of the sectors, alternately, when passing around these sectors. Thus, when the brushes make contact with the upper conductors the lamp 11 is illuminated, and when the brushes contact with the lower conductors, the lamp 12 is illuminated, the period of illumination depending on the positions of the two sectors 26 and 27, as heretofore described.

The electric current for the lamp circuits is provided from the line or feed wires 35 and 36, as indicated in Figure 10 and wire 37 leads from the wire 35 to the lamp 11, thence wire 38 leads to the lamp 12, and wire 39 leads to the semi-circular conductor 25 of the disk and is attached thereto as indicated in Figure 3. Wire 40 extends from the lamp 11 to the upper, semicircular conductor 24 and is attached thereto as indicated in Figure 3.

The feed wire 36 is connected to a springbrush 41 mounted exterior of and at the back of the lamp casing on the bracket 42 which is clamped on the collar 19 secured to the casing, and this brush is in constant frictional and electrical engagement with the continuously revolving ring 43 secured on the shaft 14. The current passes through the shaft, which is insulated by the use of a sleeve 44, from the sleeve 18, and thence to the arm 32 and its brushes 33 and 34.

A bell or gong B Figure l may be electrically operated in connection with the signals for indicating the time for the changing signals, and the time may provide for an overlap of the red signal to insure a few seconds of time for lagging pedestrians or motorists to clear the traffic after the bell has rung. For instance, by the use of the adjustable sectors, in cross traic, a street may be given 37 seconds, while an intersecting avenue may be given 17 seconds, with an interval of 3 seconds each way to allow the lagging traiilc to clear the crossing.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as'new and desire to secure by Letters Patent ist- 1. In a signal device, the combination with a disk having separated vari-colored stationary sectors, of a pair of rotatable, adjustable, sectors each having portions colored the same as and with their colors adjacent like colors of the varicolored stationary sectors, means for adjusting the rotatablesectors for changing the proportions of the varied colors of the signal, a rotary time-lapse indicator adapted to travel around the disk,.and operating means for said indicator.

2. In a signal device, the combination with a disk having green and red stationary sectors and slots between the sectors, oi a pair of sectors pivoted at the center of the disk and each having a green portion and a red portion complementary to the green and red stationary sectors, means for adjusting the pivoted sectors for changing the proportions of the green and red portions of the signal, a rotary time-lapse indicator adapted to travel around the disk. and operating means for the indicator.

3. The combination in a signal device with a lamp casing of a disk in the casing vhaving opposed green and red stationary sectors, a pair of pivoted sectors each having a green portion and a red portion complementary to the green and red stationary sectors, a partition separating said portions and co-acting with the casing to form lamp chambers, means for adjusting the pivoted sectors to change the proportions of the green and red portions of the signal, a rotary time-lapse indicator adapted to travel around the disk, and operating means for the indicator; an illuminating lamp in each chamber formed by said partitions, and means for illuminating said lamps.

4. In a signal device, the combinationwith a disk having green and red stationary sectors. a pair of sectors pivoted at the center o! the disk each having a green portion and a red portion complementary to the green and red stationary sectors, and means for adjusting the pivoted sectors, of an electrical conductor mounted on the periphery of each sector, a rotary shaft and electrical connections thereto, a signal circuit, a time-lapse indicator arm mounted on the shaft, a contact member on said arm coacting with said conductors for making and breaking the signal circuit, and illuminating lamps in the signal circuit one located back of each stationary sector Vfor illuminating a sector while the arm is moving through its sectorspace.

5. In a signal device, the combination with a circular disk having a red sector and a green sector and slots therebetween, of a central shaft, a pair oi sectors pivoted on the shaft each having a red portion and a green portion complementary to the red and green sectors respectively, means fcr adjusting the latter sectors with relation to the slots and the first sectors, electrical conductors mounted on the peripheries of all of the sectors, a rotary time-lapse indicator armmounted on the shaft, contact brushes on said arm for co-action with the conductors, an

electric signal circuit including said conductors and brush, and illuminating lamps for said disk in said circuit.

JAIWES NEWTON ROGERS.

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